C.B.P. News Release

CBP Officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge Seize $1.6 Million in Heroin and Cocaine

(Monday, May 02, 2011)

Hidalgo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge seized approximately 18.5 pounds of alleged brown heroin and 4.6 pounds of alleged cocaine in two separate and unrelated drug seizures. The estimated combined street value of the seized drugs is $1,634,578.

On April 30, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge came in contact with a northbound 2008 Toyota RAV 4 and its driver, a 25-year-old Mexican citizen from Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico. A CBP officer referred the male driver and vehicle to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers discovered and seized 25 packages of alleged brown heroin that were found hidden under the vehicle’s rear seating area. In this action, the brown heroin was valued at $1,485,018.

On May 1, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge came in contact with a 39-year-old Mexican citizen female traveler from Pharr, Texas. After the initial primary inspection, a CBP officer referred the traveler and a 1999 Ford Taurus sedan to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers conducted a personal search of the traveler and removed two packages of alleged cocaine that were found hidden beneath a belly band wrapped around her person, under her clothing. The cocaine was valued at $149,560.

CBP seized both vehicles and transferred both travelers to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

Hector A. Mancha, CBP Port Director, Hidalgo/Pharr said, “I commend our frontline officers for seizing these two significant amounts of hard narcotics. Our officers continue working hard to secure our nation’s borders and to prevent these types of dangerous drugs from entering our country.â€